Application Requirements

All applicants seeking admission to a master's or doctoral program in the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine must apply through SOPHAS, an online centralized application service. Before applying, read through the SOPHAS FAQs to clarify any questions about the application process and to ensure that all of your materials are submitted in the proper manner.

Application Requirements for Master's Programs

The requirements listed below are minimum school requirements. Individual departments may request additional or different criteria. A complete application for the school's master's programs consists of the following components as part of the complete SOPHAS application:

Prospective students applying to a degree program must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution of higher learning with a strong undergraduate record. A grade point average of 3.0 or better in the major subject is preferred. (All transcripts should be submitted to SOPHAS. A WES ICAP: Course by Course or ECE third-party evaluation is required for international applicants; the third-party evaluation is NOT needed for Canadian transcripts). Send WES evaluation directly to SOPHAS. ECE evaluations should be sent directly to SPHTM Admissions. See FAQs or International Admissions for more information.

Each applicant must submit letters of recommendation from three individuals familiar with prior academic and/or professional performance. Departments generally recommend two academic recommendations and one professional recommendation. (All recommendations should be submitted through SOPHAS.)

Prospective students must submit GRE test scores. Verbal and quantitative GRE scores should be in the upper percentiles. Please check with individual departments for any additional testing requirements. GMAT scores will be accepted for the Master of Health Administration program only. Scores can be used for up to five years from the date of test. (Test scores should be sent directly to SOPHAS using school code 6809.)

A written statement of career goals should be submitted via SOPHAS. Note that the application service has a 9,500 character limit for the student statement.

Students from non-English-speaking nations must provide results from an English language proficiency test. For the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL; http://www.ets.org/toefl), the minimum scores required are as follows: 570 or higher on the paper-based test, 230 or higher on the computer-based test, or 89 or higher on the Internet-based test. Results from the International English Language Testing System (www.ielts.org) are also accepted. Language testing will be waived if student has received an undergraduate degree from an accredited U.S. institution. (TOEFL scores must be submitted via SOPHAS – use school code 6809. IELTS results should be sent directly to Tulane SPHTM Admissions from the issuing agency.)

MHA applicants must interview with the chair or the MHA program director. The interview may take place in person, by phone, or via Skype. The chair/director may waive this requirement in exceptional circumstances.

Application Requirements for Doctoral Programs

A complete application for the school's doctoral programs consists of the following components as part of the complete SOPHAS application:

Applicants must submit official signed and sealed undergraduate transcripts from an accredited institution, with at least 30 credits of graduate-level course work and a GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale for all graduate course work. (All transcripts should be submitted via SOPHAS. A WES ICAP: Course by Course or ECE third-party evaluation is required for all international applicants; the third-party evaluation is NOT needed for Canadian transcripts). Send WES evaluation directly to SOPHAS. ECE evaluations should be sent directly to SPHTM Admissions. See FAQs or International Admissions for more information.)

Each potential candidate must submit recommendations from three individuals familiar with the academic and/or professional performance of the applicant. At least one recommendation must be from outside Tulane. (Recommendations should be submitted via SOPHAS.)

A written statement of career goals should be submitted via SOPHAS. Note that the application service has a 9,500 character limit for the student statement.

Students must submit GRE test scores with combined verbal and quantitative scores in the upper percentiles. Scores can be used for up to five years from the date of the test. Please refer to individual department requirements, as well. (GRE scores should be sent directly to SOPHAS using school code 6809.)

Students from non-English-speaking nations must provide results from an English language proficiency test. For the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL; http://www.ets.org/toefl), the minimum scores required are as follows: 570 or higher on the paper-based test, 230 or higher on the computer-based test, or 89 or higher on the Internet-based test. Results from the International English Language Testing System (www.ielts.org) are also acceptable. Language testing will be waived if student has received an undergraduate degree from an accredited U.S. institution. (TOEFL scores must be submitted via SOPHAS – use school code 6809. IELTS results should be sent directly to Tulane SPHTM Admissions from the issuing agency.)

Prospective doctoral students must interview with the department chair or the chair's designate. The interview may take place in person, by phone, or via Skype. The chair may waive this requirement in exceptional circumstances.

Priority Dates

Master’s Programs

The school maintains a rolling admissions policy for master’s programs* and accepts qualified applicants during fall, spring, and summer terms on a continual basis until the actual start date of classes. Tulane SPHTM does not have an application deadline. For adequate processing of application and financial aid, it is recommended that applicants submit their application materials to SOPHAS at least three months prior to the expected date of matriculation. (*Students in the Master of Health Administration program matriculate as a cohort at the start of the fall semester. MHA students may not begin the program at any other time.)

Doctoral Programs

Doctoral students begin the program in the fall semester. Early submissions are encouraged to ensure timely processing by SOPHAS and for consideration by the Dean’s Research Council (DRC) for DRC scholarships. There is no separate application for DRC consideration; all applications are considered for funding. The committee begins meeting in early January, which benefits early applications. Therefore, we recommend the following:

November 15 – International applicants interested in being considered for competitive scholarships should submit applications by this date to ensure timely processing of application, receiving verification of degree from universities outside of the U.S., and receiving other necessary documentation

December 15 – Applications must be 100% complete for students who wish to be considered for competitive scholarships, which cover academic expenses and provide a stipend.

January 15 – Deadline to be considered for acceptance into a program.

NOTE:These are recommended deadlines. If these dates have passed and you are still interested in a doctorate program, please do not hesitate to contact your department or Admissions on how to proceed with your application for submission.

For all applicants

The SOPHAS application site opens each year in August or September. All applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

The SOPHAS application site closes each year in August. SOPHAS has changed its procedures in reference to applications that are in process when the site closes. Please refer to this help page for more information about SOPHAS re-applicant procedures.